A study published in the journal Science found that China's solar power boom has reduced bird diversity: across 2,344 counties studied from 2014 to 2023, stronger pro-solar policies were tied to a 2.1 percent drop in a bird diversity index. Solar farms cleared cropland and grassland that birds rely on for food and nesting, with the worst losses in wealthier, non-desert regions. Resident and migratory birds both declined, while mountain species were largely unaffected. The authors call the trade-off a "green dilemma" and urge strict biodiversity safeguards and careful siting, on desert, degraded land or rooftops, as China keeps expanding its solar fleet.
The world is now certain to overshoot the 1.5 degree Celsius warming limit set in the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Environment Programme said in a report released this week. The report, called Limiting Overshoot, is the UN's first attempt to map how countries could push global temperatures back down after crossing the threshold. It describes an "overshoot, peak and decline" pathway: rapid emissions cuts to reach net zero, followed by net-negative emissions that would gradually cool the planet again. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this summer's heatwaves, wildfires and floods were a warning, and that the overshoot must be made as small and short as possible. The report warns of irreversible tipping points, including the destabilization of major ice sheets, the degradation of the Amazon rainforest and the weakening of Atlantic ocean currents, and it says some losses will be permanent even if warming is later reversed.
A new study based on coral records from the Galápagos Islands finds that El Niño events have become nearly 40% stronger since the preindustrial era. The research shows that climate change is supercharging the natural climate pattern that drives floods, droughts, and heat waves around the world. The authors say the finding helps explain why recent El Niño years have produced such extreme weather. Stronger El Niño events can raise global temperatures, disrupt rainfall across Asia and the Americas, and damage the same coral reefs used to track them. The strongest events now reach levels unseen in the historical record, the study says. Scientists say the trend is likely to continue as the planet warms, and they call for better preparation in the regions most affected by El Niño-driven extremes.
A Paris court has ordered TotalEnergies to disclose the climate risks linked to emissions from its oil and gas products and to set out measures to address them. The June 25 ruling, filed under France's 2017 corporate duty of vigilance law, gives the company six months to submit an updated vigilance plan, with a follow-up hearing set for January 2027. The court stopped short of ordering production cuts, making the decision a partial victory for the NGOs and the city of Paris that brought the case in 2020. The city called it a landmark in French climate law, extending corporate responsibility to product-use emissions.
The world's oceans are running hotter than ever measured. The Copernicus Climate Change Service says daily global sea surface temperature has reached its highest level since records began, with El Niño helping to supercharge warming. Scientists describe the ocean as under unprecedented strain, and the heat is already showing up in coral bleaching, stronger storms, and shifting fisheries. Warmer oceans also absorb less carbon dioxide, weakening one of the planet's natural safety valves for climate change. Researchers warn that record ocean heat is not a one-off anomaly but a pattern that will continue as greenhouse gas emissions keep rising. Governments face growing pressure to cut emissions faster.
Wildfires burning across Indonesia since July have blanketed West Kalimantan province on Borneo in thick smoke and ash, forcing schools to close and sending thousands of people to clinics with breathing problems. Residents in Kubu Raya say they have never seen a fire season this bad in 15 years. Health workers report a surge in bronchitis and other respiratory conditions, with pregnant women and children among the most vulnerable. The city of Pontianak is also facing a clean water crisis, with seawater being used for daily needs. Fire hot spots have nearly doubled overnight in some areas, and Indonesian authorities have charged 72 people in connection with the fires. The blazes have also threatened an orangutan rehabilitation center housing more than 60 critically endangered Bornean orangutans.
The world's oceans are warmer than ever recorded, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. Daily global sea surface temperature has reached its highest level since records began, as a strong El Niño adds to long-term warming. The agency said the ocean is under unprecedented strain. Warmer oceans fuel stronger storms, bleach coral reefs, and speed up sea level rise. Marine heat waves have hit the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Mediterranean this year. Scientists say the combination of greenhouse gas emissions and El Niño is pushing the climate system into new territory. The record comes weeks after several countries reported their hottest months on land. Researchers warn that ocean heat is a warning signal for the whole planet, because the sea absorbs most of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service says the daily global sea surface temperature has reached its highest level since records began. El Nino conditions in the Pacific helped push ocean heat to new extremes. Scientists warn that warmer oceans fuel stronger storms, faster sea level rise and damage to coral reefs.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the daily global sea surface temperature has reached its highest level since records began. The announcement adds to growing evidence that the ocean is under unprecedented strain. Warmer seas fuel stronger storms, disrupt marine life, and speed up ice melt. Scientists said El Niño conditions helped supercharge the warming on top of the long-term trend driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Coral reefs, fish stocks, and coastal communities all face knock-on effects. Researchers said the record is another sign that the planet's heat is building up faster than expected. They called for faster cuts in emissions to slow the pace of ocean warming.
A Paris court ordered TotalEnergies to disclose the climate risks linked to the emissions of its products, the first ruling of its kind against a major French company. The energy giant must publish detailed information about scope 3 emissions, the largest share of an oil company's carbon footprint, and explain how they affect its business model and strategy. The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of cities and environmental groups. TotalEnergies said it will review the decision and may appeal. Legal experts say the ruling could set a precedent for other fossil fuel companies in Europe.